Englisches Seminar

Current Trends in Figurative Language Research

Workshop

December 8 - December 9, 2016

Venue: Fürstenzimmer, Schloss Hohentübingen, 72070 Tübingen

Organized by: Sara Beck & Ruth Kessler

With support from Prof. Dr. Andrea Weber and Prof. Dr. Claudia Friedrich

 

A workshop funded by the SFB 833
with support from Applied Language Studies and Psycholinguistics and Developmental Psychology

 

Workshop Description

Figurative language is pervasive in everyday language use - it can be found in written and spoken language, and it is often examined as both a linguistic and literary phenomenon. The linguistic elements included in estimates of use vary widely, as figurative language is a broad category, encompassing many forms and types of language such as metaphors, idioms, puns, proverbs, metonymies, and ironies to name a few, but Pollio et al. (1997) estimates that about four figurative expressions are produced for each minute of speech (as cited in Cieślicka 2006, p. 115). While we are familiar with the operations and function of literal language, the complexities presented by figurative language are less well-understood. Researchers from various fields have examined figurative language looking at its place in theoretical linguistics or literature, its effect on listeners and readers, as well as processing, comprehension, and even cognitive neuroscience surrounding this phenomenon.

This workshop is intended to promote an exchange between experienced and junior researchers in the field of figurative language research on the current practices and findings in this ever-growing field of research. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: acquisition, processing, cognitive neuroscience, syntax, semantics, and corpus studies.

Invited Speakers

Prof. Dr. Stéphanie Caillies, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne

Dr. Gareth Carrol, University of Birmingham

Prof. Dr. Herbert Colston, University of Alberta

Dr. Alexander Rapp, University Clinics Tübingen

Prof. Dr. Manfred Sailer, University of Frankfurt

Dr. Simone Sprenger, University of Groningen